Long-distance traction-rope device



May 26, 1925. 1,539,217

- K. STAHL LONG DISTANCE TRACTION ROPE DEVICE I Filed June 28, 1920 I 2 I why-2 6 2 F3 2;

INVENTORY Patented May 26, 1925.

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KARL STAHL, OF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIR-M: LUFT- SOHIFFBAU ZEPPELIN GESELLSCHAFT MIT BESCHRANKTER HAFTUNG, OF FRIED- RICHSHAFEN, GERJVIAN Y.

LONG-DISTANCE TRACTION-ROPE DEVICE.

Application filed June 28, 1920. Serial No. 392,604.

To {:ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KARL STAHL, a German citizen, residing at Friedrichshafen, a/B, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Long-Distance Traction-Rope Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention refers to appliances for opening valves, dropping bombs, etc. and more especially to mechanical traction rope devices destined for operating at a distance and therefore possessing great length. The appliances of this kind known hitherto have the draw-back that the long traction element owing to its dead weight, permanently sags. To do away with the consequent insecurity in working is the object of the present invention. This object is achieved by a special subdivision of the traction rope device according to which the real traction rope is under a practically even tension although the length be varying and does not sag, and still does not, through being shortened, call forth an nndersired operation of the valve, or the bomb-dropping device for instance.

Accordingly the object of my invention consists in a traction rope device for opening valves, dropping bombs, etc. in which a main traction element preferably consisting of wire, possesses a bifurcation j ust before the valve, or the bomb cage, etc. to be op crated. According to the invention the one branch leads to a fixed point and is permanently kept taut by inserting a spring I as a part of the main traction rope. The

branch leading to the valve or to the bomb cage on the other hand possesses such a length that it is only taut-ened after the main line starting from the off? position, has overcome a certain fraction of the opening way provided for it.

The invention offers special advantages, it several dropping devices, valves, etc. are to be operated shortly following in one another or simultaneously. For then only the main tract-ion rope receives a spring-loaded elongation serving to keep it permanently taut. To this main the branches are connected in any desired number and with such individual length or intervals, respectively, that, according to their adjustment, the individual lines come under tension either simultaneously or at various intervals after overcoming one or several fractions of the opening way provided for the main line.

An arrangement, which is particularly suitable for valves adjoining each other, is obtained by leading the various individual branches over stretching pulleys of varying diameters, .if so be necessary, which are arranged on a common axis and are rotatable independently of one another.

For the permanent tautening of the main traction line one or several springs," the choice of which in itself optional, can be employed. But ordinary tension springs easily have a tendency towards oscillating, more especially, if large ways of displacement are necessary and the accommodation takes place in an air-craft permanently exposed, to rocking. In further detailing the invention the main traction line and the branch line are therefore each taken over a part of a common stretching pulley which is influenced by a spiral spring enclosed in it as in a kind of casing. By this means an exceedingly small demand for space is comhined with the greatest safety in working.

The drawing attached to this specification and fori'nin'g part thereof, illustrates two modilications embodying my invention by way of example in a purely diagrannnatical manner.

Fig. 1 1s a View and partly a cross section I of a traction rope device which is attached to a tank with five'valves designed on the line -1.1 of Flg. 3.

Fig. 2 is the pertinent section in 22 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, is the correspoi'iding view from the top;

Fig. 4 is a view of a traction rope device in connection with a bomb dropping arrangement, whilst Figs. 5 and 6 show, on an enlarged scale, a detail belonging to Fig. 4t, Fig. 5 being a. partial section on the line 55 of Fig. 6 and Fig. 6 asection on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 a tank A which is open at the top, is subdivided by partitions into two largenchambers following on each other, and three smaller ones next to each other. Each of the five chambers filled. for instance, with water ballast, has a discharging opening a a, 0 of. a in its floor. The outer lon sides a" of the tank serve as bearings for the axles b and b of pulleys BB and B. A wire cable C is connected to the frontal surface of the easing A by means of a tension spring D and leads to the operators stand. It is arranged in the same vertical plane as the pulleys B B and B One branch each E and E leads from the branching point and 0 over the pulleys B and B to the valve balls F and F. A third branch E connects a branching point 0"" with the pulley B to which it is fastened after being wound around it several times. The pulleys B 13*, B fixed rigidly to the axle Z) like the pulley B each bear a traction rope branch E E, E which ends in a valve ball F F, As can be observed from Fig. l the sag of the branches E E E varies. Also' the pulleys B 13 B differ in size. 'The operation of the valve F of the valve F and of the valves 1 -1 therefore takes place by steps with regard to one another, the valves F 'F being pulled simultaneously.

As the pulleys B B have different sizes the valve balls are lifted to varying extents with one orthe same displacement of the traction cable C or the branch rope E This varying valve lift becomes necessary, if the various tanks contain liquids of differing specific weight, such as for instance water,

oil and petrol and if importance is attached to the fact'that the comparti'nents originally filled evenly, are emptied of an equal proportion of. the original contents in the same time. This latter demand must occasionally becomplied with, if'the various'tanks to be operated fromthe same stretchingpulley axle bf are arranged at various distances from the plane of symmetry of an air-craft,

.for. instance, and if the equilibrium originally existing in regard to this plane ofsyinmetry, is to be maintained in the course of emptying. V r In Figs. 4-6 two bearing plates H andH fixed to a part J of the frame-work, carry an axle K and a tubular distance, pieee'L enclosing it. The letter guides a casingshapedpulley N .\Vlll0ll on its periphery possesses one comparatively narrow and one broader groove Wan respectively. The

hollow of the pulley N contains a spiral spring 0 the one end of whichis fastened to the rim of the pulley N at 0 whilst the other end is attached to the rigid axle K at k A cylindrical bearing casing P encloses the pulley N on all sides. A main traction cable Q is laid round several times in the groove n and finally fastened to the pulley N. Its loose end is taken through an opening provided in the casing P, and passes into the long-distance line. A branch R is c0nnected to the main traction cable at E outside the casing. The branch R is led over the narrower groove 47, of the pulley N and over a guiding pulley S to a trigger T of a bomb dropping device. 7

The dimensions are chosen in such a mannerthat, in the iofi position shown in Fig. 4, main traction cable Q is taut, it is true, owing to the effect of the spring O, but that the branch R is led with acertain amount of sag from the branching points r to the trigger 'l as indicatedin Fig. 4 by the sag in the upper part of the branch. If the main in displacementof the main traction rope Q,

the trigger T is pulled from its bearing.

I claim: 1.1n a device of the kind described in combination, a inain'traction member secured at both ends, means for keeping said inember taut, and slack branch traction members of different length, each connected at one end with said main member and at the other with an object to be operated by a tractive 2. In a device of the kind described in com- 7 bination, a shaft, a sheave on said shaft, a

, traction member is slaek.

- 3. Ina device of thekind described in combination, a shaft, a sheave on said shaft, a

spiral spring in a hollow of said sheave having one end'fixed to said sheave and the other 7 to said shaft, a main. traction member .hav-

'ing one end wound'around said sheave and theother secured to a fixed point so as 'to'be 'lzep't taut: by the action of said spring, and

a slack branch traction member extending from said ,inain member over said sheave besides StllClll'itllD member to an object to be operated by a traction effort.

In'testi'mony whereof l affix my signature.

KARL sir-Ann 

